, 1887-02-05

and its assets, or whether there was any
probability of it's arranging with it's credi-
tors and resumlng operations. Public Opt
Mon was deeply peSSimiStic, and-aS was
natural ~enOugh-the trouble that had al
ready fallen upon the city was regarded as
only the precursor of others of a similar
kind, that would be precipitated in some
measure by the occurrence of the first. 1t
is said that the firm acted as bankers for a
large number of people Of small capital by
whom the loss Of their deposits will be
keeply felt. But not a word has been ut
tured, so far as we can ascertain, charging
the members of the firm with dishonesty,
or attrlbuting the collapse to any but una
vOldable and Tegrettable causes, all con-
nected with the fundamental change OF
recent years in the local produce market.
Although the news of the failure fell sud
denly enough upon the community it could
hardly be described as unexpected, for
Intelligent men of business felt that the
awful depreciation of local produce and
property was throwing a strain upon local
merchants and proprietors heavier than
any but the very richest of them could
withstand. Something would have to
give way, owing to the abnormal tension;
and the popular conviction is that the
breaka&e OF the firm in question il only
the precursor OF a series OF similar calami-
ties. 1t is more than probable that a dark
day IS at hand for our neighbOurS:-tlat
the time has arrived when the land-the
great possession OF BarbadianS-muSt be
subjected to a new valuation, the settling
OF which will be attended with great but
unavoidable distress to many persons
directly, and indirectly more or less to all
the inhabitants of the land. IN it's opening
article for the year the Barbados Planters
Journal Says:-
at is said to be a welI.established fact
that sugar cannot be produced under am
average expenditure of e91O per ton. 1t in
now selling for &S or 50 per ton, molasSpS
included. Consequently sugar cannot u4e-
assisted. continue To provide for it's own
production. Alone it il no longer a pay ING
crop, no longer capable Of bearing the
incidence of lis own cost. We can no
longer afford to place 0ur land solely at
the disposal Of the Sugar Cane, but the
pest lands mnst be made to produce inter
IleaIate crops OF indigo. tobacco, &c. &c,
ahd we must look 10 Agricultural Chpmis-
try to teach us to feed plants with economi-
cat dccardcy. These so called "Minor Indus.
tries" thus as it were d0ve.tailed. afford
the only basis ON which The sugar.cultiya
ton OF this Island can, under existing
circumstances, be continued. The sea
coast lands, i'll adapted, even in the best
times for the production Of sugar, could be
better utilized for arrOWrOot, and rOppmak.
ing material. Unless some wonderful and
unlocked for turn OF good fortune befall
us, 1t seems that we must either change
our methods, Or collapse. On the latter
alternative we will not dwell, because We
feel that Our manhood, strengthened bv
difficulty, is becoming daily more capable
OF dealing with the realities Of position.
Necessity is the mother of invention. ana
Will compel Us, even against our will. 10
seek the means Of SubsiSte1cp; and 70 give
up if necessary, those ways SO dear to ~
Barbadian Soul. Happy are the people
who can see the inevitable and change
front rather shan be broken 10y untimely
reSiStanCp.'
There is good enough advice hereconvey-
ed to its readers; but although the way out
of the present disaster MAY be perceptible.
enough, the passage all the same Will
not be made without suffering to many
and if the Legislature can see its way to-.
wards alleviating the trouble bv any
scheme of special assistance, it ought not
to hesitate to adopt it, although as legal
measure it may clash with the hleas Of
political economists. What the land stands
in need of, if it is to remain a p row
ing land, is the best kind of machinery
for the factory, and until that is supplied
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